Device for stowing hatch covers on ships



May 25, 1965 :1. E2. DAHLIN $335,205

DEVICE FOR STOWING HATCH COVERS ON SHIPS Filed 001;. 5. 1961 Fig. 5

IN VE N TOR fla M United States Patent 3,185,206 DEVXQE FQR STOWING HATfiH CGJERS 0N SEES Carl Erik Ingeinar Dahlia, Goteborg, Sweden, assignor to von Tell Trading 60. AB, Goteborg, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed Oct. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 142,571 (Iiaims priority, application Sweden, Nov. 10, 196i), 10,797/60 4 Claims. (Cl. 160-193) It is known to stow the longitudinally straightly situated hatch cover sections for a hatch way of a ship in such a way that they can be moved individually in horizontal position to the stowing ends of the hatch way by being pulled in a single rope or wire which is attached to the cover section situated at the end remote from the stowing end. The cover sections are interconnected by means of chains. When the sections are moved up on roll paths at the stowing end, they will be swung individually from horizontal to vertical position with their upper sides turned in the same direction. A drawback in this hatch cover construction is to be seen in the fact that the chains at the opening and closing of the covers often form obstacles and are damaged. The construction also requires a considerable stowing depth in the moving direction of the cover section as the stay-beams on the underside of each one of the cover sections will be situated against the upper side of the next cover section. A considerably smaller stowing space would be required in case the cover sections could be stowed in such a way that they take a position in which they turn their undersides towards each other as then the stay-beams could be suitably arranged relative each other for engaging the space between the stay-beams on the juxtaposed cover section.

The purpose of the present invention is inter alia to overcome the drawbacks described here above. The invention refers more particularly to hatch covers comprising several interconnected hatch covers adapted to be moved on carrying rollers or the like in essentially horizontal position on the coaming around a hatch way to be stowed in vertical position one cover section against the other one at one end of the hatch way. At this end of the hatch way there are arranged inclining rolling paths for pivot rollers on the cover sections. The main feature of the invention is to be seen in the fact that the cover section neighbouring the stowing end of the hatch way (seen in the movement direction) is longer than the next cover section and that the hingedly interconnected cover sections in pairs decrease in length in direction towards the opposite end of the hatch way and further that the pivot rollers on every second cover section are situated in such a way that by pulling by means of a rope or analogous the cover section farmost or next farmost from the stowing end the carrying rollers on the longest cover section next to the stowing end leave the hatch coaming and their pivot rollers run up on the rolling paths, this cover section in a way known per se tilts downwards with its end next to the stowing end and turns the corresponding end of the adjacent cover section upwards, last mentioned cover section turning the adjacent cover section with its adjacent end downwards when the pivot rollers on this section run on the rolling paths and so on.

The closing as well as the opening of the hatch cover can be carried out with a single rope. No chains are necessary for the interconnection of the cover sections which in stowed position are in pairs situated with their undersides towards each other. Due to the fact that the cover sections are interconnected by means of hinges the tightening between the borders of two juxtaposed cover sections is facilitated.

An example of a device in accordance with the inven- "ice tion will now be described with reference to the accompanying partly diagramamtic drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a hatch cover according to the present invention in closed position,

FIGS. =2, 3 and 4 show the hatch cover in different opening positions, and

FIG. 5 shows the cover in completely opened position.

The cover shown in the drawing is intended to be used on main deck on ships and comprises five cover sections 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. These sections have in the vicinity of one of its transverse longitudinal borders carrying rollers 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 running on the upper edge of a hatch coaming 14 around the hatch way 13. The cover section situated closest to one end, the stowing end 15, of the hatch way 13 is longest. The two juxtaposed cover sections 2 and 3 have the same width but are narrower than the cover section 1. Next pairs of cover sections 4, 5 have the same width but are narrower than the cover sections 2 and 3. The cover sections are interconnected by means of hinges 16, 17, 18 and 19 in such a way that the cover sections 1, 2 and 3, 4 in folded position are situated with their undersides turned towards each other. At the stowing end 15 the coaming 14 is provided with two roller paths 20 which are arranged beside and outside the running paths for the carrying rollers 6-12. These paths 20 are adapted for cooperation with pivot rollers 21, 22 and 23 extending from both sides of the cover sections 1, 3 and 5, said rollers extending laterally to said roller paths 20. The latter have at their rear ends a stop abutment 24. The pivot rollers 21 on the cover section 1 are situated, seen from the stowing end, beyond the centre of this section, the pivot rollers 22 on the cover section 3 near the centre of this section and the pivot rollers 23 on the cover section 5 are--seen from its centre-situated closer to the adjacent section 4. The pivot rollers 21, 22, 23 are situated on a higher level than the carrying rollers 6-12.

When hauling in a rope 25 attached to the longitudinal border of the cover section 5, all cover sections 1-5 are moved towards the stowing end 15 and the sections are thereby moved with their carrying rollers 612 on the upper edge of the coaming 14. When the pivot rollers 21 on the cover section 1 start to run up on the roller paths 20, the end of this section situated closest to the stowing end 15 tilts and thus this cover section is swung in counter-clockwise direction according to FIG. 2. The cover section 2 with its adjacent end is thereby lifted. When at a continued pulling in the rope 25 the pivot rollers 22 on the cover section 3 start to run up on the roller paths Zll, this section is swung by the gravity of the cover section 2 in counter-clockwise direction according to FIG. 3 and the cover section 4 is lifted with its adjacent end. Finally, when the pivot rollers 23 on the cover section 5 at a continued pulling in the rope 25 run up on the roller paths 2%, this section-partly by means of the pulling in the rope, partly by the load of the end of this cover section situated closest to the stowing end 15--is swung in counter-clockwise direction. It is shown in FIG. 5 how the cover sections 1-5 in stowed position require a rather small space due to the fact that the staybeams 26 on the undersides turned towards each other of juxtaposed cover sections 1, 2 and 3, 4, respectively, will be situated beside each other.

At the covering of the hatch way 13 there is used only one pulling rope 25 which then shall be directed in the opposite direction. The closing of the hatch way is performed in the same simple way.

As further obvious from FIG. 5, the cover can be provided with a further section 27 (indicated with dash and dot lines). In this case the rope 25 is attached at the hinges between the section 27 and the section 5. It is advisable to arrange a spring means between these two sections for facilitating the unfolding of the section 27. In this case, the coaming 14 should also be provided with an inclining path 28 for a roller 29 at the free longitudinal border of the section 27. V

The present invention has been described in detail above for the purpose of illustration only and is not in tended to be limited by this description or otherwise except as defined in the appended claims. Thus, different parts of the cover could be constructively modified in many Ways. The number of sections is independent of the invention. Instead of rollers for carrying the cover sections, it is possible to use glide shoes of suitable construction for carrying the cover sections. The pivot rollers 21, 22, 23 are preferably carried for rotation on eccentric bolts which can be locked in differently revolved positions for facilitating the exact adjustment of the shafts of these rollers.

What I claim is:

1. In a hatch cover of the kind comprising a number of interconnected cover sections which are movable on carrying roller means in an essentially horizontal position along a coaming around the hatch way so as to be stowed in vertical position one section beside the other one at one end of the hatch way, said coaming at this end having inclining roll paths for cooperation with pivot rollers on said cover sections, the cover section situated next to said stowing end being longer than the next section, said cover sections being interconnected by means of hinges and in pairs decreasing in length towards the end of the hatch way situated opposite said stowing end and said pivot rollers on every second cover section situated in such a way that at a pulling of the section situated farmost or next farmost from said stowing end by a pulling means attached to the section the rollers on said longest cover section situated next to said stowing end leave the hatch coaming and its pivot rollers run on said roll paths, this cover section thereby capable of being tilted downwards by gravity with its end situated closest to said stowing end and thereby to swing the corresponding end of the adjacent cover section upwards, the latter further capable of swinging the adjacent cover section with its adjacent end downwards when the pivot rollers on this section run up on said roll paths. 7

2. In a hatch cover of the kind comprising a number of interconnected cover sections which are movable on carrying roller means in an essentially horizontal position along a coaming around the hatch way so as to be stowed in vertical position one section beside the other one at one end of the hatch way, said coaming at this end having inclining roll paths for cooperation with pivot rollers on said cover sections, the cover section situated next to said stowing end being longer than the next section, said cover sections being interconnected by means of hinges and in pairs decreasing in length towards the end of the hatch way situated opposite said stowing end and said pivot rollers on every second cover section situated in such a way that at a pulling of the section situated farmost or next farmost from said stowing end by a pulling means attached to the section the rollers on said longest cover section situated next to said stowing end leave the hatch coaming and its pivot rollers run on said roll paths, this cover section thereby capable of being tilted downwards by gravity with its end situated closest to said stowing end and thereby to swing the corresponding end of the adjacent cover section upwards, the latter further capable of swinging the adjacent cover section with its adjacent end downwards when the pivot rollers on this section run up on said roll paths and so on, said pivot rollers on said longest cover section situated beyond the centre of this section seen from said stowing end.

3. In a hatch cover of the kind comprising a number of interconnected cover sections which are movable on carrying roller means in an essentially horizontal position along a coaming around the hatch way so as to be stowed in vertical position one section beside the other one at one end of the hatch way, said coaming at this end having inclining roll paths for cooperation with pivot rollers on said cover sections, the cover section situated next to said stowing end being longer than the next section, said cover sections being interconnected by means of hinges and in pairs descreasing in length towards the end of the hatch Way situated opposite said stowing end and said pivot rollers'on every second cover section situated in such a waythat at a pulling of the section situated farmost or next farmost from said stowing end by a pulling means attached to the section the rollers on said longest cover section situated next to said stowing end leave the hatch coaming and its pivot rollers run on said roll paths, this cover section thereby capable of being tilted downwards by gravity with its end situated closest to said stowing end and thereby to swing the corresponding end of the adjacent cover section upwards, the latter further capable of swinging the adjacent cover section with its adjacent end downwards when the pivot rollers on this section run up on said roll paths and so on, said pivot rollers on the cover section situated farmost from said stowing end situated closer to the juxtaposed section seen from its centre.

4. In a hatch cover of the kind comprising a number of interconnected cover sections which are movable on carrying roller means in an essentially horizontal position along a coaming around the hatch way so as to be stowed in vertical position one section beside the other one at one end of the hatch way, said coaming at this end having inclining roll paths for cooperation with pivot rollers on said cover sections, the cover section situated next to said stowing end being longer than the next section, said cover sections being interconnected by means of hinges and in pairs decreasing in length towards the end of the hatch way situated opposite said stowing end and said pivot rollers on every second cover section situated in such a way that at a pulling of the section situated fari most or next farmost from said stowing end by a pulling means attached to the section the rollers on said longest cover section situated next to said stowing end leave the hatch coaming and its pivot rollers run on said roll paths, this cover section thereby capable of being tilted downwards by gravity with its end situated closest to said stowing end and thereby to swing the corresponding end of the adjacent cover section upwards, the latter further capable of swinging the adjacent cover section with its adjacent end downwards when the pivot rollers on this section run up on said roll paths and so on, said pivot rollers situated on a higher level than said carrying rollers and extending laterally from each cover section beyond said carrying rollers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 834,287 10/06 Frey ..160-l88 X 2,760,459 8/56 Kurnmerman 114-202 FOREIGN PATENTS 615,369 1/49 Great Britain. 1,192,768 4/59 France.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

LAWRENCE CHARLES, NrANsHER, Examiners. 

1. IN A HATCH COVER OF THE KIND COMPRISING A NUMBER OF INTERCONNECTED COVER SECTIONS WHICH ARE MOVABLE ON CARRYING ROLLER MEANS IN AN ESSENTIALLY HORIZONTAL POSITION ALONG A COAMING AROUND THE HATCH WAY SO AS TO BE STOWED IN A VERTICAL POSITION ONE SECTION BESIDE THE OTHER ONE AT ONE END OF THE HATCH WAY, SAID COAMING AT THIS END HAVING INCLINING ROLL PATHS FOR COOPERATION WITH PIVOT ROLLERS ON SAID COVER SECTIONS, THE COVER SECTION SITUATED NEXT TO SAID STOWING END BEING LONGER THAN THE NEXT SECTION, SAID COVER SECTIONS BEING INTERCONNECTED BY MEANS OF HINGES AND IN PAIRS DECREASING IN LENGTH TOWARDS THE END OF THE HATCH WAY SITUATED OPPOSITE SAID STOWING END AND SAID PIVOT ROLLERS ON EVERY SECTION COVER SECTION SITUATED IN SUCH A WAY THAT AT A PULLING OF THE SECTION SITUATED FARMOST OR NEXT FARMOST FROM SAID STOWING END BY A PULLING MEANS ATTACHED TO THE SECTION THE ROLLERS ON SAID LONGEST COVER SECTION SITUATED NEXT TO SAID STOWING END LEAVE THE HATCH COAMING AND ITS PIVOT ROLLERS RUN ON SAID ROLL PATHS, THIS COVER SECTION THEREBY CAPABLE OF BEING TILTED DOWNWARDS BY GRAVITY WITH ITS END SITUATED CLOSEST TO SAID STOWING END AND THEREBY TO SWING THE CORRESPONDING END OF THE ADJACENT COVER SECTION UPWARDS, THE LATTER FURTHER CAPABLE OF SWINGING THE ADJACENT COVER SECTION WITH ITS ADJACENT END DOWNWARDS WHEN THE PIVOT ROLLERS ON THIS SECTION RUN UP ON SAID ROLL PATHS. 